newbie thread

[jodiey]

Where do I even start if I want to get information about purchasing dvc. I've been to Disney 20+ times but know absolutely nothing about dvc. All this talk about points makes my head spin! Please point me in the right direction. Is there a dvc for dummies book?? Lol. Thanks

 

[chalee94]

DVC is disney's timeshare. you buy X number of pts at a given resort (let's say 100 pts at BCV) and then that is what you have to spend each year until you sell the contract or it expires (in Jan 2042 for BCV).

here are the point charts for the per night costs:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/DVCpoints.shtml

100 pts will only get you 6 nights in May at BCV (beach club villas next to epcot) in a studio (which is similar to a hotel room - but with a queen bed and a pullout sofabed). you could also get 2 nights at BCV in a 2BR villa (like a small apartment with over 1000 sq feet including a kitchen, washer/dryer and 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms).

so you'd need more or fewer pts depending on when you stay, what sort of villa you prefer and what resort you stay at. owners at a given resort have the first option of booking that resort.

you could buy BCV resale (which just means from a former owner rather than from disney directly) for about $100 per pt upfront...so 100 pts x $100 per pt = $10,000 plus closing costs for that contract.

you would also owe annual dues to pay for upkeep of the villa and outside grounds as well as housekeeping. for BCV for 2014, you would owe $5.79 per pt. so 100 pts x $5.79 = $579 per year on top of the upfront costs of $10,000. annual dues will go up each year (as inflation pushes maintenance costs and housekeeping pay higher).

so you'd have to start by narrowing down what you are hoping to accomplish. then run the numbers...

here are more details for more homework:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3041038

 

[skier_pete]

Where do I even start if I want to get information about purchasing dvc. I've been to Disney 20+ times but know absolutely nothing about dvc. All this talk about points makes my head spin! Please point me in the right direction. Is there a dvc for dummies book?? Lol. Thanks

DVC is not for the faint of heart, it's not just planning a vacation, it's accepting a vacation lifestyle. It can be very advantageous to some and a terrible waste of financial resources to others. You shouldn't even be considering it unless:

1) You go to Disney at least once a year/every other year and plan to do so for the next 10+ years.
2) You are willing to pay to stay on property and normally stay at moderates or deluxes.
3) You have the ability to plan your vacations at least 7 months in advance.
4) You have the financial wherewithal to buy-in to DVC at an initial expense of $5K - $20K

If all of those apply to you, then its probably worth it to look into it further. This is a great resource for information. I recommend browsing the various FAQs here as well as many of the question threads. Make sure to understand the difference between direct buying and buying resale. (We never would have bought in if it weren't for the resale market.) Then come back with specific questions. If you are still unsure, consider renting points for a trip to stay DVC.

 

[magicaldisney]

You have a lot of good information already with the above responses. Since it's a lot to digest, once you start processing everything, then come back and ask individual questions. I'm a visual kind of person so I had to block it out on paper and that helped me understand how the points are used, banking, borrowing compared to use years.

One thing to remember is that DVC expires. You don't own it forever. Each resort has a different expiration date. Decide if owning for a longer period of time but with a resort that isn't your first choice is more important than a first choice resort but less years to own.

 

[chalee94]

you may also want to browse the DVC Resource Center thread, as it will answer a number of questions by itself...

 

[jodiey]

This is a great start, thanks everyone!

 

[ToddyLu]

DVCNews.com is also a good resource and PassPorter has a DVC guide book that you can purchase I think for about $10-13. You can download it and read it through at your leisure. I first had to understand the concept of Home resort and understanding the point chart. Then UY is a biggy. Then banking and borrowing and the nuiances that come with cancelling a reservation.

I wish I had known to break our contract down into 2-100 point contracts. We purchased 210 at AKV direct. I should have read on here another 6 months but I thought I had...the first 6 months I read and read and read.

Take your time to really understand the concepts so that you get the most out of your purchase.

 

[jmassey1samchi]

I would recommend renting points before buying. That is what I am doing. I was able to book points for December 18-19 just this week. And this is after thinking it would be nearly impossible to book at that time of year being only 5 months out. Plus, with the timeshare store, you can save quite a bit over rack rates. I will be staying at wilderness lodge In a couple weeks off rented points. This will allow me to make an informed decision as to whether dvc is really the way to go.
Hope this helps
Jeremy

 

[jodiey]

Ok been doing some research and have a few more questions.
1. If I have enough points can I use it for 2 rooms (a 1 bedroom and a studio), so we could stay at one and my parents could stay at another?
2. If we can use the points for 2 rooms, then my next question is what if we want to stay at a different dvc other than our home resort and we are wait listed. Can we specify that we specify that we only want the wait listed resort if both rooms become available? We would only want to switch the resort if we could all stay.

 

[chalee94]

Ok been doing some research and have a few more questions.
1. If I have enough points can I use it for 2 rooms (a 1 bedroom and a studio), so we could stay at one and my parents could stay at another?

as long as you have enough pts and there is availability, yes.

in the case listed, i would book a 2BR so that you'd be close to each other and it would be cheaper. (just understand that you might not be able to cancel one side if your parents dropped out.)

2. If we can use the points for 2 rooms, then my next question is what if we want to stay at a different dvc other than our home resort and we are wait listed. Can we specify that we specify that we only want the wait listed resort if both rooms become available? We would only want to switch the resort if we could all stay.

if you really waitlisted 2 separate rooms, no. i don't think you can do that.

if you waitlisted a 2BR and managed the lockoff door yourself, yes.

 

[skier_pete]

Ok been doing some research and have a few more questions.
1. If I have enough points can I use it for 2 rooms (a 1 bedroom and a studio), so we could stay at one and my parents could stay at another?
2. If we can use the points for 2 rooms, then my next question is what if we want to stay at a different dvc other than our home resort and we are wait listed. Can we specify that we specify that we only want the wait listed resort if both rooms become available? We would only want to switch the resort if we could all stay.

1) Just so you know, a 1-bedroom and a studio are the two rooms that make up a 2-bedroom lockoff. So, while you can indeed rent the two rooms as separate bookings, you could also just rent the two bedroom lockoff as the same thing. (The points would likely be the same as well.

2) I don't know this one. However as mentioned as above if you waitlist for a two bedroom lockoff, that would do the trick for you. You could either leave the door open between the rooms or close it up if you wanted privacy.

 

[Minniesgal]

Ok been doing some research and have a few more questions. 1. If I have enough points can I use it for 2 rooms (a 1 bedroom and a studio), so we could stay at one and my parents could stay at another? 2. If we can use the points for 2 rooms, then my next question is what if we want to stay at a different dvc other than our home resort and we are wait listed. Can we specify that we specify that we only want the wait listed resort if both rooms become available? We would only want to switch the resort if we could all stay.

You can but a 2 bedroom lock off is the same thing and can be booked as 1 reservation which is easier to manage

 

[jodiey]

Do all dvc's have 2 bedroom lock offs?

 

[Minniesgal]

Do all dvc's have 2 bedroom lock offs?

So far

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

2. If we can use the points for 2 rooms, then my next question is what if we want to stay at a different dvc other than our home resort and we are wait listed. Can we specify that we specify that we only want the wait listed resort if both rooms become available? We would only want to switch the resort if we could all stay.

No, you cannot specify that so if you waitlist for 2 rooms you might end up with one at one resort and the other at the original resort you booked. As was mentioned in the scenario of getting a 1BR and a studio booking the 2BR lockoff will negate having to waitlist for 2 separate rooms.

 

[jodiey]

No, you cannot specify that so if you waitlist for 2 rooms you might end up with one at one resort and the other at the original resort you booked. As was mentioned in the scenario of getting a 1BR and a studio booking the 2BR lockoff will negate having to waitlist for 2 separate rooms.

So how to you book a 2 bedroom lock off? Most of the point charts I've looked out I don't show points for them.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So how to you book a 2 bedroom lock off? Most of the point charts I've looked out I don't show points for them.

Point wise it's the same "cost" for a 2BR Lockoff as it is for a dedicated 2BR so nothing is shown separately. But when you go to book you can select a lock-off (if available of course) or a dedicated 2BR (again - if available). There have been a couple of reports of not getting a lock-off and being placed in a dedicated 2BR when there's been some mix-up at the resort but the lock-off is a booking category and you should get that if you book it. FYI - at BWV they only have 2BR lockoffs - there weren't any dedicated 2BR's built there. All other resorts built so far have both. The Poly sounds like it will be the first exception to that with only studios and the over water bungalows but may have connecting studios which will also be a first for DVC.

 

[jodiey]

Thanks everyone, you really helped clarify things for me!

 

[jodiey]

Ok one more question and then I'm done for the day (maybe). Can you be on a wait list for more than 1 resort? Say BLT is my home resort but I'm interested in trying out Animal kingdom or WL, can I be on 2 wait lists and whichever one becomes available just take that one?

 

[disneynutz]

Ok one more question and then I'm done for the day (maybe). Can you be on a wait list for more than 1 resort? Say BLT is my home resort but I'm interested in trying out Animal kingdom or WL, can I be on 2 wait lists and whichever one becomes available just take that one?

You need to understand that anything other that booking at your home resort at 11 months can be challenging.

At 7 months you cancel your 11 months booking and try to book at another resort. Depending on the time of year, resort, room size, room category, you may not have an issue or availability may be limited.

Waitlists, based on what I have been told by DVC are run at night after hours and worked the following day by CM's. Other members can swoop in and take your available room because the reservation has not been matched and worked yet.

The rules for waitlists was changed a few years ago, yes DVC changes the rules and policies, so you can only have 2 active waitlists at a time.

If you want AKV you can have a waitlist at Kidani for a savanna view. If a standard view opens up, that isn't a match, Jambo isn't a match either.

You can use up 2 waitlists and never get what you want so you have to go for the largest category and the least popular room size if you want a good chance and getting what you want.

We gave up on waitlists and bought several home resorts. That improved our satisfaction with DVC availability. Spending thousands on buying DVC and spending thousands on annual Disney vacations doesn't make sense if you can't guarantee where you will be sleeping and hanging out.

Bill